Slug casting machine



Feb. 27, 1934.

F. c. FROLANDER 1,949,302 SLUG CASTING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1952 INVENTOR Y ji M Feb. 27, 1934. Y F. c. FROLANDER 1,949,302

SLUG' CASTING MACHINE F 'iljed July 1, 1932 '12 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Feb. 27, 1934. F. c. FROLANDER SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1952 12 sheets sheet 5 IIII' 11v Vb NTOR A; J. Z. T

Feb. 27, 1934. c FROLANDER 1,949,302

SLUG CASTING MACHINE 12 Sheefis-Sheet 5 ATTOR Feb, 27, 1934.

. F. C. FROLANDER SLUG CASTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fil'ed July 1, 1932 INVENTOR ATTO EX! Fzb. 27, 1934. F. c. FROLANDER ,3

SLUG CAST ING MACHINE I Filed July 1,- 1 322 12 Sheets-She a}. 7 N5 INVENTOR F A T7 RNEYS Feb. 27, 1934. F. Q FIIQQLANDER 1,949,302

SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR A TO NEYS Feb 1934- F. c. FROLANDER SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet l0 lyNToR Mm? llllL Feb. 27, 1934. F. c. FROLANDER 1,949,302

SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1932 1,2 Sheets-Sheet 11 mwsoz Feb. 27, 393%. F. c. FROLANDER SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1932 l2 Sheets-Sheet 12 Patented Felt. 27, 11am SlLlUG CASTWG MACIBWE lFn-anlr C. lFrolander, Elizabeth, N. ll, assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application .l'uly l, 1932. Serial No. 620,325

48 Claims.

This invention relates to slug casting machines, such as linotype'machlnes of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to 0. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices and expansible spacebands are composed in line by the manipulation of a keyboard, the composed line transferred to a slotted mold for the casting of a type bar or slug, and the matrices and spacebands thereafter separated and returned by a distributing mechanism to the magazines from which they started.

In these machines, when the composed line is presented to the mold, it is positioned between a pair of clamping jaws which have previously been set to receive it, and while so positioned, the line is justified by the expansion of the spacebands which are driven up through the line by a so-called justification bar operated prior to the casting operation. Ordinarily, the right-hand jaw is relatively fixed (having only a limited,

movement to operate thecustomary pumpstop) whereas the left-hand jaw is adjustable to different positions to accord with the length of the mold slot or with the length of the composed line in its justified condition. In casting under such conditions (which are the most common conditions) it is obvious that the number of matrices and spacebands composed must be suflicient to fill out the line completely (except of course for the limited space allowed-for justification), and hence when it is desired to cast slugs with blank spaces at the ends'for indenting or centering, it is necessary to employ blanks or quads for that purpose, involving considerable annoyance and delay.

The general object of this invention is to adapt the machine to handle not only lines of full length as ordinarily, but in addition lines of less than full length (regardless of their actual length), so that the latter lines may be composed without blanks or quads and merely with the matrices necessary for the printed matter. While various schemes of this sort have heretofore been proposed, the present invention ofiers many improvements upon prior arrangements in the way of greater simplicity, better efficiency, and more extended scope of operation.

According to the invention, the movable supports for the two line clamping jaws (the latter being made long enoughto perform their required functions of closing the mold slot at the front) are actuated through two distinct trains of connections from a vertically movable rod controlled directly from the main shaft of the machine. When both jaw supports are connected to the rod, they are, prior to casting, moved equidistantly toward each other until arrested by the contact of their respective jaws with the opposite ends of the composed line (for centering) and later, after casting, restored to their original positions of maximum separation. Due provision is made for disconnecting either the righthand jaw or the left-hand jaw from the vertically movable rod, so that one or the other may be operated independently for quadding at the right or at the left as may be desired. When both jaws are disconnected, as they may be, the machine is free to function in the usual way, the right-hand jaw being left normally stationary and the lefthand jaw being adjustable by the customary devices.

The right-hand jaw is made *rigid with its movable support, whereas the left-hand jaw is made adjustable with respect to its movable support, this adjustment permitting the two jaws to 'be spaced apart initially to correspond to the length of the mold slot, whether that be selected with the composed line, their movable supports are locked in position by means actuated by a lost motion device included in the actuating connections for the vertically movable rod, such means being in the form of an eccentric grip arranged to engage a sleeve which can'ies the rod. However, in order to permit the expansion of lines containing spacebands, (whether such lines be used in quadding or centering) ,it is proposed to allow the jaw supports to move or yield outwardly for a limited distance (in the present instance a variable distance of from one-hlaf em to three ems) from the line contacting position as the line is spread out by the expansion of the spacebands when driven upwardly through the line by the justifying devices. This is accomplished by providing for a relative movement between the vertically movable rod and its carrying sleeve when the latter is locked in fixed position, such relative movement being controlled by means of a stepped slide which can be set manually to determine the extent of the relative movement and therefore the extent of the line spread.

As above intimated, the right-hand jaw in cast-- ing lines of full length, is normally arranged to engage and operate a pump stop lever which permits casting to take place when the lines are properly composed, but since the right-hand jaw in the present instance is movable from its normal position for quadding or centering out of contact with the pump stop lever, provision is made for operating the latter under these other conditions. In the embodiment illustrated, there are employed special connections leading directly from the vertically movable rod to the pump stop lever, these connections being operated by the same lost motion device which effects the locking of the rod carrying sleeve. Inother words, after the rod carrying sleeve has been locked in position, the actuating connections therefor, having an additional movement, operate the pump stop lever to allow the casting operation to take place independently of the right-hand jaw.

As an added feature of the invention, safety means are provided to prevent the casting operation whenever, during quadding or centering, the composed line fails to be engaged by the two clamping jaws. These safety means comprise a second train of connections leading to the pump stop lever and which are controlled by a slight yielding of the left-hand jaw with respect to its operating devices.

These and other features of the invention will be fully set forth in the detail description to follow.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a linotype machine equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, looking from the left in that figure;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the vertically movable rod, and the associated parts, for moving the jaws to and fro, certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3 with certain of the parts in vertical section;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the vertically movable rod in the position it assumes when moved downwardly to close the jaws, the actuating connections for the rod locking member being shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the vertically movable rod as lifted with reference to its carrying sleeve due to the expansion of the line by the spacebands, this view showing in particular the stepped plate which is employed to control the relative movement between the rod and its carrying sleeve;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section showing the actuating rod for the rod locking member inits extreme downward position and as having operated the connections leading to the pump stop lever;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on they line 10-10 of Fig. 3; Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14 are plan views in the nature of diagrams showing in different positions the devices employed for connecting the vertically movable rod to the vise jaws for centering or quadding or regular machine operation;

Figs. 15 and 16 are diagrammatic views showing the two"jaws in the positions they assume for centering, the first figure showing the composed line in a slightly expanded cflndition, and

the second figure showing the line in a more expanded condition;

Fig. 17 shows in edge view two slugs as cast from the composed lines illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16, respectively, it being noted that the spacing between words varies on the different slugs;

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic view showing the jaws as set for quadding at the right; v

Fig. 19 shows in edge view a slug cast from the composed line of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic view showing the jaws as set for quadding at the left;

Fig. 21 shows in edge view a slug cast from the composed line of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a front elevation of the assembling and transfer devices illustrating the improvements made in this department of the machine;

Fig. 23 is a vertical section taken on the line 2323 of Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a front face view of the left-hand jaw, the parts being broken away at the left to show the locking devices by which the jaw is held in its different adjusted positions;

Fig. 25 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 24, but showing the jaw as occupying a difierent position;

Fig. 27 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 26;

Fig. 28 is a front elevation, made on an enlarged scale, showing the pointer used in connection with the adjustable left-hand jaw as moved downwardly by the first elevator when the latter is occupying its casting. position;

Fig. 29 is a vertical section taken on the line 29-29 of Fig. 28;

Fig. 30 is a top plan view showing the safety device associated with the jaws and which prevents the casting operation when the jaws fail to contact with the composed line;

Fig.31 is a, front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 30, a certain portion being broken away to show the yielding connection between the lefthand jaw and its actuating connections; and

Fig. 32 is a detached perspective view of the actuating lever for the pump stop lever.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 22 in particular, the matrices X and expansible spacebands Y (such as shown in Figs. 15 and 16), are composed in line in the assembler A under the restraining influence of the line resistant A which can be set for lines of different lengths, all in the usual way. After the line has been composed, the assembler is raised to carry the line up between the long left-hand finger B and the short righthand finger B of the line delivery carriage B, which latter thereupon moves to theleft (and in doing so inaugurating the operation of the machine) and transfers the composed line through the intermediate channel T into the vertically movable transporter or first elevator C slidably supported in the vise frame D. Upon receiving the line, the first elevator immediately descends to position it between the left-hand jaw E and the right-hand jaw F and in front of the slotted mold G, which latter then advances from the rear and into contact with the line and the two clamping jaws for the slug casting operation, the line, prior to casting, being aligned and justified in the usual way when the machine is being operated under the usual conditions. After the slug has been cast, the mold is carried from its horizontal casting position, (as shown in Fig. '1), to a vertical ejecting position by a threequarter rotation of the mold disc G, the first elevator in the meantime being raised to deliver the composed line to the matrix and spaceband distributing devices and finally coming to rest in its original or line receiving position as shown in Fig. 1.

As so far described, the parts and their operation, except as hereinafter noted, are or may be the same as embodied in the commercial linotype machine, or as set forth in the Mergenthaler Patent No. 436,532 before referred to.

, As before stated, the present invention provides devices whereby the line clamping jaws may be operated automatically to cooperate with lines of less than full length so as to cast slugs with blank spaces at either end, as for quadding, or at both ends, as for centering, and these automatic devices will now be described in detail. But, first it should be stated perhaps that each of the jaws E and F is made long enough, when used alone, for quadding, to close that part of the mold slot left exposed by a short composed line, or in the absence of a composed line, to close the mold slot completely. Except as thus modified, and as hereinafter noted, the two jaws are substantially the same as those employed in the commercial machines and they are mounted for movement in the vise frame D in the customary manner, being carried by supporting blocks E and F slidable in suitable guideways formed in the vise frame D (see for example Fig. 29). In describing the parts, it will be assumed that the automatic devices are connected to both jaws simultaneously for centering, that being the actual condition of the parts as shown in Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8, 11, 15, and 16. In Figs. 1 to 3,

the parts are shown in the condition they assume when both jaws are disconnected from the automatic devices, or when the machine is being used for operation in the regular way.

In the present embodiment, the two jaws E and F are movable toward and from each other by a periodically operated part in the form of a vertically movable rod H which is connected at its upper end to the respective jaws through the medium of two similar but oppositely disposed bell-crank levers E and F pivoted at E and F to the vise frame D, the longer arms of said 1evers being connected by short links E and F to the jaw supports E and F, respectively, and the shorter arms of said levers being connected to the rod H in a manner subsequently to be described. According to this arrangement, when the rod H is moved downwardly from its uppermost position (which is its normal position of rest as shown in Figs. 1 and 3), it will move the two jaws equidistantly toward each other until they contact with the opposite ends of a composed line which has previously beenpositioned between them (thus centering the line in relation to the mold, see Figs. 15 and 16), and when the rod is moved upwardly for restoration to its position of rest, it will in like manner move the jaws equidistantly away from eachpther to return them to their original positions of maximum separation (the customary abutments being employed to arrest the jaws in such separated condition). Since the composed lines positioned between the jaws may vary in length, the actual extent of movement of the rod H will of course vary accordingly, and hence provision is made for such varied movement of the rod in its actuating connections as will presently appear.

The rod H (see particularly Fig. 4) is carried by a surrounding sleeve H slidable in bearings H and H formed in a box or housing D secured to the vise frame D near the lower end of the sleeve.- At its upper end, the sleeve H is formed with a counterbore H to accommodate a collar H secured to the rod H and which rests upon an annular shoulder H created at the lower end of the counterbore H The rod collar H is normally held in contact with the sleeve shoulder H by a compression'spring H reacting against a coredout nut H screwed flush into the upper end of the sleeve. In this way, the rod H and the sleeve H are normally connected together to move as one, the spring H", however, permitting the rod H to be moved upwardly in relation to the sleeve after the latter has been locked in a downwardly moved position for apurpose later to be described.

At its lower end, the sleeve H is connected by a link H to the forward end of a lever H having a hub portion H journaled on a pivot rod H a stop lug n formed on the hub portion H of the first lever H the effect of this arrangement being to cause the two levers to move in unison until the first lever H is arrested by the downward movement of the rod carrying sleeve H.

The second lever H is connectedat its rear end by a roller and groove connection H to the forward end of a bent lever H formed with separated hub portions H journaled on a pivot rod H carried by a bracket D secured to the I main frame of the machine, a tension spring I-I being connected to the lever H 'in advance of its pivot and serving constantly to move it downwardly at its forward end. The outer one of the hub portions H is provided with an upstanding arm H having a lateral projecting lug H, which through an adjusting screw H bears against the rear edge of a straight lever H journaled at its lower end upon the pivot rod H and carrying at its upper end a roller'H tracking upon the periphery of a rotary edge cam H fast to the main shaft H of the machine.

1 From the foregoing construction, it will be seen 25 that the rotation of the cam H (which is always in a clockwise direction, and which makes one complete rotation at each cycle of operation of the machine), is imparted to the rodcarrying sleeve H, through the train of connections de scribed, to move the sleeve and itsrod H, first downwardly to effect the inward or closing movement of the jaws E and F, and then upwardly to effect the outward or separating movement of the jaws. Since, as already stated, the downward movement of the sleeve H will vary according to the length of the composed line positioned between the .jaws, its actuating connections must be arranged to yield as the rotation of the cam I-i continues, and this yielding is provided for by the lost motion which takes place between the two levers H and H, the latter acting on the former through the expansion spring H which, of course, will be compressed to absorb the lost motion. The lever H being thus permitted to partake of a full rocking movement, may be (as it is) positively connected to the cam operated lever H The downward or jaw closing movement of the sleeve H takes place as the roller grooved face to engage the sleeve H.

H runs from the low portion H of the cam onto the high portion H of the cam, while the upward or jaw separating movement of the sleeve H takes place as the roller runs from the high portion of the cam onto the low portion thereof, this latter movement of the parts being eifected by the spring H which acts always to hold the roller H in contact with the rotary cam. It may here be noted that the high and low portions of the cam are concentric throughout approximately half the rotation of the cam, being made so in order that, in one case, the jaws will be closed before and held closed during the slug casting operation and, in the other case, separated and held separated between successive slug casting operations.

It will be understood that, when the machine is set for centering, the line may be composed with or without the expansible spacebands Y. In the former event the jaws should be locked in centering position so as to resist or limit the spread of the composed line as the spacebands are expanded when driven upwardly through the line by the customary justifying devices, which incidentally are indicated generally by the reference letter I (Figs. 2, 15, and 16). To this end, it is proposed to lock the rod carrying sleeve H in position after it has been moved downwardly to bring the jaws into contact with the opposite ends of the composed line, it being possible to lock the sleeve rather than the jaws directly because of the positive connections between the rod H and the jaws.

In the present instance, the locking of the sleeve H is efiected by a rotatable grip member J (see Figs. 3 and 4, as well as Fig. 10) eccentrically mounted upon a pivot rod J secured in the box or housing D before alluded to and having a in advance of its pivot, the member J is provided with a bifurcated arm or extension J straddling a vertically movable rod J siidable in upper and lower bearings J and J of the housing D. The upper bearing J is in the form of a floating collar slidable vertically within a fixed cylinder J which contains a compression spring J interposed between the collar J and the member arm J At its upper extremity, the rod J carries a cylindrical head J adapted to enter the cylinder J in the downward movement of the rod to push the collar J downwardly within the cylinder (see Fig. 5) and through the collar and spring J to force the arm J downwardly to rotate the grip member J and cause it to bind against the sleeve H so as thus to lock the latter firmly in position. Since any outward move ment of the jaws serves to move the sleeve H upwardly, the member J is mounted to rotate in that direction in its locking stroke so as thereby to guard against any slippage between the parts. At its lower extremity, the rod J 3 is connected by a link J to the forward laterally bent arm J of the lever H before referred to.

It will now be seen that the locking member J is operated by reason of the lost motion which takes place between the two levers H and H it being remembered that the former lever is the one connected to the rod carrying sleeve H. In other words, after the lever H is arrested in its movement by the downward movement of the sleeve H (due of course to the contact of the jaws with the opposite ends of a composed line),

amounts to the same thing the position of the actuating head J thereon) is such that, during the last portion of the movement of the lever B", the head J is moved down within the cylinder J and caused to actuate the sleeve gripping member J in the manner above described (see again Figs. 5 and 7).

Were the rod H and its actuating sleeve H actually joined together as one (as they might otherwise be), it is plain that there could be no spreading of the composed line after the sleeve is locked in position by the member J, and in such circumstances the jaws would be locked directly in their line contacting positions (which actually happens when lines are composed without spacebands). According to this invention, however, it is proposed to allow the jaws to move outwardly from their line contacting positions to different extents after the locking of the sleeve H in order that the composed line may be spread to corresponding extents under the expanding influence of the spacebands Y. In the ,present instance provision is made for allowing the line to spread up to 3 ems in em increments.

It was explained at the outset that the spring H (Fig. 4), while serving normally to cause the rod H to move as one with its carrying sleeve H, would permit the rod to move upwardly relatively to the sleeve after the latter is locked in a downwardly moved position, such upward relative movement of the rod being caused, of course, by the outward movement of the clampingjaws under the line expanding influence of the spacebands. To control the extent of suchupward movementof the rod H, the latter is provided on its collar H (see Figs. 4 and 6) with a pin K arranged for vertical play in a slot K formed in the sleeve H. Cooperating with the pin K is an adjustable plate K carried by the sleeve H and formed at one end with a series of steps K any one of which, by the maximum, although obviously a greater range of. adjustment could be allowed if desired.

When the composed lines do not contain spacebands, there is obviously no need of providing for the yielding of the line clamping jaws, and hence in such cases, the plate K may be adjusted, as in Fig. 3, to position its lowermost step (or the bottom edge of the plate) above the pin K so as thereby to prevent any upward movement of the rodH relatively to the sleeve H. The same result would occur irrespective of the adjustment of the plate so long as no spacebands are included in the composed lines, since it is only the outward movement of the jaws under the expanding influence of the spacebands that effects the upward relative movement of the rod H.

When, however, the composed lines do contain with the 4th step K so that the line clamping jaws will, under such adjusment, be permitted to move outwardly to a corresponding extent under the line expanding influence of the spacebands. Had one or the other of the steps K beenselected, the outward movement of the jaws would be varied accordingly.

As above stated, the plate K is carried by the sleeve H, being slidably mounted in guideways of a supporting block K securely clamped or otherwise fastened to the sleeve H, the plate being held in place on the block by a front plate K screwed or otherwise detachably applied thereto. The adjustment of the plate K is effected by a rotary cam or eccentric K fast to a transverse shaft K journaled in the support K at one end thereof, and arranged to engage a pin K secured to the plate K and projecting through a slot K formed in the support K (see Fig. 9). A spring K pressing on the pin K serves constantly to move the plate K toward the left inhpposition to the cam K which'serves by its rotation in a clockwise direction to move the plate positively toward the rod. To facilitate its rotation, the shaft K is provided with an operating handle K which is adapted to cooperate by friction or otherwise with a sector K mounted on the support K and marked off as indicated to guide the operator in setting the plate in the desired position.

In the commercial machines, the slug casting operation is controlled by a pivoted. lever L (see Fig. 1) mounted on the machine frame and which actuates a pump stop. The pump stop is normally in position to prevent casting, and the lever L must be moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1', to release the pump. When casting from lines of full length, as in the regular machine operation, the right-hand jaw F will engage directly with the pump stop lever (as shown in Fig. 1), and by a slight yielding movement actuate Jthe lever to release the pump. When casting from lines of less than full length, on the other hand, as for centering, the righthand jaw will, of course, be moved away from the pump stop lever L and cannot, therefore, engage directly therewith to actuate it for the release of the pump. Hence, means are herein provided for operating the lever L independent- 1y of the right-hand jaw, and in the present instance such means are controlled by the actuating connections for 'the rod H or its carrying sleeve H.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the pump stop lever L is shown as engaged with the upper end of a long lever L pivoted at L on the vise frame D and having a downward arm or extension L At its extremity, the arm L is provided with a pin L (which is adjustable therein for reasons subsequently to appear) arranged to play in a slot L formed in a vertically disposed bar L pivoted by parallel links L to the rod carrying sleeve H. Also arranged to play in the slot L is a pin L protruding laterally from the upright arm of a small bell-crank lever L pivoted at L to the stationary box or housing D. The horizontal arm of the lever L is arranged in-position to be engaged by a pin L carried at the upper end of the rod J 3 before re-= ferred to. The arrangement of the parts is such that, as the head J of the .rod J is drawn down into the cylinder J to actuate the locking member J, the pin L will engage and actuate the hell-crank lever L and cause the latter to draw the bar L inwardly toward the rod carrying sleeve ii (see Figs. 6 and 7),which movement of the bar L is imparted to the lever L and by it to the pump stop lever L to release the pump for the slug casting operation. After casting. the parts will of course be restored to their original. positions, a spring (not shown) attached to thelever L acting always to hold it in its locking position. Being carried by the sleeve H, the bar L can obviously function in any of the different positions of the sleeve, so that when the jaws are moved into contact with the line (irrespective of its length), the pump will be automatically released to permit the slug casting operation to take place.

Normally, the two jaws E and F are held apart in their maximum spaced relation in order to cooperate with a mold for the largest measure,

which in most machines is 30 ems, but in some machines 42 ems. There will be times, however, when it is desired to center lines with reference to molds for smaller measures, and in such cases it becomes necessary to bring the jaws closer together before their automatic operation. Since the molds of all sizes have their end walls at the right located in the same position, the required setting of the jaws may be taken care of by adjusting the left-hand jaw E only, and this adjustment in thepresent instance is provided for by mounting the left-hand jaw so that it may be set in different positions with reference to its supporting block E' thus avoiding any disturbance of the actuating connections between the jaws and the rod H.

As shown in Figs. 24 to 29, the left-hand jaw E is grooved on its underside to receive a longitudinal tongue M rising from the supporting block E, a key M serving to hold the jaw slidably in place upon the block. On its upper surface, the tongue M is formed with rack teeth 1V1 adapted to be engaged by parallel annular teeth M of a rotary locking member M journaled in the jaw E at its extreme left or outer end. At one side of the member M the teeth M are fiattened or cut away, as at M so as to clear the rack teeth M in one position of the member M (see Fig. 26). A torsion spring M attached at one end to the jaw E and at its other end to the locking member M serves normally to hold the teeth M engaged with the rack teeth M (see Figs. 24 and 25), but by giving the locking member M a quarter rotation in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 25) the cutaway or :iiatend with a concentric segmental flange M arranged to be engaged by a vertically movable finger M attached'to a push plate M carried by the jaw E. Hence, adjusting the jaw E, it is merely necessary to push down on the plate M as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 26 or in Fig. 27, and then slide the jaw in the required direction to its new position. For example, .'in Fig. 2d the jaw is shown as set for a 30 em mold, while in Fig. 26 it is shown-as adjusted to cooperate with a 27 em mold.

A scale M marked ofi in divisions of half ems, is attached to the jaw E to guide the operator in making the above adjustments, this scale be= ing read in conjunction with a relatively fixed pointer M mounted on the vise frame D. In the embodiment shown, the pointer M is so located that it would interfere with the downward movement of the first elevator C, and for this reason it is pivotally mounted upon a bracket D secured to the vise frame. In Figs. 28 and 29, the pointer is shown as rocked downward from its indicating position by the first elevator. When the elevator rises, the pointer will be moved back to indicating position by an attached spring M being stopped in such position by a pin M located on the bracket D The foregoing adjustments of the jaw E are adapted, not alone to set the jaw for slugs of smaller measure, but in any case where it is desired to contract the space between the jaws before they are moved toward each other by the rod H. For example, there will be times when a short line of type, even though cast on a full measure slug, will need to be centered with reference to an imaginary line located to one side of the actual transverse center line of the slug, as for unequal indenting at opposite ends of the line. In operating the machine for such classes of work, the actual movement of the jaws under the motive power of the rod H will be equidistant as before, but since the left-hand jaw starts from a point nearer to the right-hand jaw, it follows that the composed line will be positioned more to one side of the mold slot than the other, or even entirely to one side of the slot, depending upon the length of the line and the length of the slot itself. I

As previously stated, it has been assumed in the foregoing description that both of the jaws E and F are connected to the vertically movable rod H for centering the composed line with reference to the mold. The effect of the operation of the machine under such conditions is portrayed in Figs. 15, 16, and 17. In Fig. 15, the jaws are shown as having been moved equidistantly from the dotted line position into contact with a short composed line, the latter being shown after the expansion of the spacebands Y. Fig. 16 shows the position of the jaws after the line has been expanded to a greater extent by the spacebands Y, it being remembered that the extent of the line expansion is controlled by the adjustment of the stepped plate K The less expanded line Fig. 15 will produce a slug such as that shown at Z in Fig. 17, while the greater expanded line of Fig. 16 will produce a slug such as that shown at Z in Fig. 17, it being noted that the spacing between words of the latter slug is considerably greater than that of the first slug.

Provision hasbeen made, as will next be described, for disconnecting either jaw from the rod I-I while maintaining the connection therewith of the other jaw. When the right-hand jaw F is thus connected and the left-hand jaw E disconnected, the effect of the operation will be as depicted in Fig. 18, where it will be seen that the independent movement of the right-hand jaw has resulted in the moving of the composed line over to the left and up against the unmoved left-hand jaw E. This action will produce a slug such as that indicated at Z in Fig. 19, the slug having its line of type characters located entirely at the left and with a blank space at the right, known as right jaw 'quadding or indenting.

When, on the other hand, the left-hand jaw E is connected to the rod H and the right-hand jaw F disconnected therefrom, the effect will be as illustrated in Fig. 20, which shows that the left-hand jaw by its independent movement has been brought into contact with the composed line. In this instance, there is no motion or the composed line (except perhaps a compacting movement), since the line is always positioned at the right in contact with the right-hand jaw. Under these conditions there will be cast a slug such as indicated at Z in Fig. 21, having its line of type characters located entirely at the right and with a blank space at the left, known as left jaw quadding or indenting.

While in both Figs. 18 and 20 the composed line is shown as without spacebands, it will be understood that spacebands could be used if de-' sired and that the spacing between words could be varied, as in the case of the slugs shown in Fig. 17, by the proper adjustment of the stepped plate K As a matter of fact, if by any chance the machine were operated under any of the foregoing conditions without presenting a composed line between the vise jaws, they would be moved together into direct contacting relation and the result would be the casting of a blank slug.

Since the locking member J cooperates with the rod carrying sleeve H, it goes without saying that it will serve to lock the jaws E and F in their line contacting position when either is used alone for quadding purposes. Likewise the pump stoplever L, being controlled from the rod J will be actuated to release the pump during the quadding operation of either jaw.

As a further alternative, both jaws E and F may .be disconnected from the rod H so that neither will be moved or affected by the operation of that rod. This is the condition which exists when the machine is operated in the regular way for east-- ing slugs of full measure, or, in other words, when the lines are composed of full length to cooperate with molds of corresponding length. Under such circumstances, the jaws E and F are entirely free of the automatic devices and are under the control of the customary machine elements.

In providing for the connection and disconnection of the rod H with and from the jaws E and F, the rod is formed at its upper end with a reduced headed portion N on which is mounted, for rotation only, a grooved collar N presenting two segments N and N for engagement with diametrically opposed pins N and N protruding inwardly from the extremities of the horizontal arms of the actuating levers E and F for the jaws E and/F, respectively. When both jaws are to be connected to the rod H for centering, the collar is turned to the position shown in Fig. 11 to bring both of its segments N and N into engagement with the pins N and N of the jaw actuating levers E and F respectively. When the lefthand jaw E is to be connected alone to the rod H for left jaw quadding, the collar is turned to the position shown in Fig. 12 to bring its segment N" into engagement with the pin N of the actuating lever E and to locate the segment N out of engagement with the pin N of the actuating lever F for the right-hand jaw. When, on the other hand, the right-hand jaw F is to be connected alone to the rod H for right jaw quadding, the collar is turned to the position shown in Fig. 13 to bring its segment N into engagement with the pin N and to locate the segment N out of engage- I ment with the pin N When both jaws are to be disconnected from the rod H for regular machine operation, the collar is turned to the position shown in Fig. 14 to locate the segments N and N out of engagement with both of the pins N and N While the collar N could be turned directly by hand, a special control device is herein employed for setting the collar instantly in the required position. This device is shown in the form of a manually operable bar 0 mounted to slide in horizontal guides O of the vise frame D and disposed at right angles to. the rod H. Adjacent the rod H, the bar 0 is formed with rack teeth 0 meshing with a pinion O surrounding the rod H and rotatably mounted on a block D secured to the vise frame. The pinion 0 has a key 0 arranged in a vertical slot 0 formed in a sleeve 0 carried by the rod H and secured at its upper end to the rotatable collar N, the key and slot connection 0 0 thus permitting the necessary relative movement between the rod H and the pinion 0 It may here be noted that the sleeve 0 extends down through a bearing 0" of the block D and into contact with the upper end of the rod carrying sleeve H, thus acting not only as a connecting medium between the pinion O and the collar N but affording in addition an upper bearing for the sleeve H in the vertical movements of the latter, as well as a bearing for the rod H when it is moved relatively to the sleeve H.

According to the above arrangement it is plain that, by merely moving the bar 0 in one direction or the other, its motion will be transmitted to the collar N to set it in any of the diflerent positions illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14. If desired an indicator may be associated with the bar 0 to guide the operator in making the adjustments. While perhaps unnecessary, a spring actuated detent O is employed to hold the collar N in its different adjusted positions, this detent being arranged to engage in one or the other of four difierent notches or depressions formed in the hub portion of the pinion 0 (see particularly Fig. 8).

When the collar N is turned to disengage the rod H from both of the jaws E and F for regular machine operation, the right-hand jaw will act directly to control the operation of the pump stop lever L, and hence the connections to that lever from the rod J should be broken. This is accomplished automatically in the following manner: The pin L which as before described protrudes from the lever arm L into the slot L of the bar L is cut away or flattened at one side and is rotatably mounted in the lever so that it may be turned from its active position, as shown in Fig. 5,.to its inactive position, as shownin Fig. 3. In its active position, the pin will transmit the inward movement of the bar L to the lever arm L in the manner before described, but in its inactive position the pin will stand clear of the bar L and thus fail to transmit the movement of the latter to the lever arm L It is the latter position the pin should occupy when the machine is set for regular machine operation as in Figs. 1 and 3. a

The rotation of the pin L to its diiierent positions is efiected by a small crank arm P secured thereto and connected by a vertical link P to one end oi a lever P pivoted on the fixed block D The opposite end of the lever P is connected with a vertically movable plunger P also mounted on the block D and having rolling contact with a face cam P secured to the underside of the pinion 0 A spring P attached to the lever P serves constantly to hold the plunger F in contact with the cam F, as well as to depress the link P for rotating the pin L to its inactive position. Asstated a few lines back, the pin L is shown in its inactive position in Fig. 3, having been moved to that position by or both of the jaws to the rod H, the cam will depress the plunger P and raise the link P so as to turn the pin L to active position as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7.

In centering or quadding, there is always danger of a squirt, due to the failure of the two clamping jaws to contact with the opposite ends of the composed line. Thus, if the matrices should become caught or wedged in the first elevator channel, the inward movement of the righthand jaw would be blocked and that would result in the failure of the left-hand jaw to move inward far enough to contact with the line, so that a bad squirt would almost certainly occur. To guard against such' occurrences, a safety device is employed to prevent the casting operation whenever the two jaws fail to contact with the line.

In the present instance the safety device comprises a horizontally movable locking arm R (see Figs. 30 to 32) formed with an upstanding pin R which is adapted normally to engage behind a set screw R on the pump stop lever L and thus prevent the actuation of the latter by the lever L. The arm R is secured to the upper end of .a short vertical spring actuated shaft R journaled in the vise frame D, and at its lower end the shaft R is provided with a crank arm R connected by a long link R to a similar crank arm R pivoted to the vise frame in the vicinity of the left-hand jaw E. As thus mounted, the link R acts 'in the nature of a parallel motion bar such that when the bar is moved inwardly toward the jaws it will turn the shaft R in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 30, against the action of its spring and cause the arm R. to move its pin R out of engaging relation to the set screw ll. carried by the pump stop lever L, whereby the latter is unlocked or free to be actuated by the lever L. This is the action which takes place when the two jaws have been moved properly into contact with the opposite ends of a composed line, and this incidentally in any adjusted position of the jaw E; otherwise, the lever armwill remain under the influence of its spring in position to lock the pump lever L against actuation.

The operation of the link R in the embodfment illustrated is effected by a slight relative movement between the supporting block E, for the left-hand jaw, and the link E which connects the block to the jaw actuating lever E Thus as shown in Fig. 31, the link E instead of being connected directly to the jaw supporting block E is connected thereto through a sliding interponent R. presenting opposed shoulders R and R for engagement with 2. lug R depending fromthe supporting block. Located in a recess formed in the lug R and pressing outwardly against the shoulder R5, is a spring R which permits the interponent R to move inwardly for a short distance in relation to the lug R when the jaw E is brought into contact with the composed line. In such relative movement of the interponent R", an ear R thereon engages and actuates one arm of a small bell-= crank lever B mounted on the supporting block E, and whose other arm engages and actuates the link R in the manner above described. It the jaw E should fail to contact with the com= posed line, there will be no relative motion between the supporting block E and the interponent R and consequently there will be no actuation of the link R so that the member R will be allowed to remain in its locking position to prevent the actuation of the pump stop lever L.

In the use of this safety device, the lever L will have to yield when the pump stop lever L is locked against actuation, since the lever L will always be operated by the slotted member L and for this reason the lower arm or extension L of the lever is connected thereto above the pivot L by a pin and slot connection Z and a small compression spring 1 which acts always to hold the parts in their normal position. As will be obvious, when the lever L is locked against movement, its lower arm or extension L is free to yield with reference thereto and thus avoid binding or damage of the parts.

In order to adapt the line delivery carriage B to accommodate itself automatically to different lengths of short lines which may be sent through the machine for quadding or centering, the

- left-hand finger B is mounted for free movement in the guideway of the carriage (see Figs. 22 and 23). A long tension spring B attached at one end to the carriage slide and at its opposite end to the finger B, tends constantly to move the finger toward the right, but such movement of the finger is normally prevented by a locking pawl or detent S mounted on the fixed intermediate channei J and arranged in engagement with a forwardly projecting lip S formed on the finger. The locking pawl is carried by the upper end of a vertically disposed lever S pivoted at S to the intermediate channel,'and extending down alongside of the assembler A. At its lower end the lever S is formed with an inclined slot 8*, with which there is adapted to engage, a pin S carried by a bracket S attached to the assembler A. When the parts are at rest, the pin S engages in the bottom of the slot S and the .detent S is held in its locking position by a spring S pressing inwardly upon the upper arm of the lever S When, however, the assembler A is raised to deliver a composed line to the transfer carriage, the pin S is lifted out of the slot S} and is caused to actuate the lever S so as to throw the detent S out of engagement with the lefthand finger B, which thereupon is snapped over to the right under the action of the spring B being arrested in the proper position by its engagement with the finger A of the line resistant A. This disengagement of the detent S takes place during the initial upward movement of the assembler A and before the composed line is carried thereby beyond the control of the line resistant finger A2 or the assembling star wheel A so that the left-hand finger B will be properly positioned by the line as indicated. Before the line delivery carriage is restored to its line receiv-. ing position, the assembler A will of course have been lowered to its line composing position, and hence the detent S will be reset automatically to intercept the left-hand finger B on its return stroke and arrest 11 in its originally set position ready to be tripped when the next line is delivered to the transfer carriage.

In the accompanying drawings the invention has been shown in preferred form and by way of example and as applied to a machine of the class stated, but obviously many modifications and alterations may be made therein and in its mode of application without departing from the spirit of the invention. It should, therefore, be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form'or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a slug casting machine of the linotype class equipped with a first elevator and line justifying devices, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws, a periodically operated device dis tinct from the first elevator and the line justifying devices, and distinct actuating connections between said device and the respective jaws.

2. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws, movable supports therefor, a periodically operated device, distinct actuating connections between said device and the respective jaw supports, a rotary shaft adapted to make one complete rotation at each cycle of operation of the machine, a cam mounted on said shaft, and direct connections between said cam and the periodically operated device.

3. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws, movable supports therefor, a periodically operated device controlled directly from the main drive shaft of the machine, and distinct actuating connections between said device and the respective jaw supports.

4. A combination according to claim 3, including means whereby the connection of one jaw support with the periodically operated device may be broken while maintaining the connection with said device of the other jaw support.

5. A combination according to claim 3, including means whereby the connection of either jaw support with the periodically operated device may be broken while maintaining the connection with said device of the other jaw support.

6. A combination according to claim 3, including means whereby the connections of both jaw supports with the periodically operated device may be broken when desired.

'7. A combination according to claim 3, wherein the actuating connections between the periodically operated device and the jaw supports include members for moving the jaw supports equidistantly when both are actuated.

8. A combination according to claim 3, wherein one of the jaws is adjustable relatively to its supportso that it may be set at different distances from the companion jaw before the two jaws are actuated by the periodically operated device.

9. A combination according to claim 3, wherein the actuating connections for the periodically operated device are arranged to yield when the inward movementof the clamping jaws is arrested by contact with the line.

10. A combination as in claim 3, including as an additional element means for locking the jaw supports temporarily in position after the jaws have been moved into contact with the composed line.

11. A combination as in claim 3,1ncluding as 

